All change; taking risks in your career

Whilst it can be daunting, change is often necessary in life in order to stop us from stagnating and to challenge us to reach our full potential. It can also improve our quality of life. This also applies to your career. Whether it’s a new job, branching out into a new area of law, relocating or even setting up on your own, taking a risk and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone can be what is needed to drive your career forward or to increase your job satisfaction.

I am well versed in taking career risks, having completely changed my own career path pretty much a year to the date! To mark the anniversary of my first year in recruitment I wanted to share my tips from my own experience for any others thinking of making a change.

Ask yourself why – taking a risk can be a very positive thing but looking for a change for change sake isn’t necessarily the answer. Working out why you are looking for something different and understanding your personal motivation and what you hope to achieve is crucial for understanding the next right move for you. Which leads us to…

Is it the right risk – always evaluate what options are open to you and look at each one in terms of what the end goal is, how they are going to get you there and the degree of risk involved. For example, if you are looking for flexibility and more autonomy in your career and are considering setting up on your own, consider whether other options such as a consultancy role might be the answer

Do your research – there is always going to be an element of uncertainty in taking a risk (otherwise it wouldn’t be a risk at all!). However, you can make sure it’s a calculated one. Whilst I could never know for certain whether recruitment would be the right fit for me as it was so different to roles I had had in the past, I made sure that I looked into it as thoroughly as possible, talking to as many people as I could about their own experiences before making my decision. Do your research and make sure you know what you are getting yourself into! Our specialist consultants here at Sellick Partnership are always happy to lend an ear and provide an objective perspective if you need to talk things through.

Go with your gut – at the end of the day you have to do what is best for you and trusting your natural instinct as to what that is, is usually a good way of sense checking your decision. If your gut is telling you it’s not right, chances are it’s not!

Have a plan B – whilst you want to remain positive and commit yourself to a change once the decision has been made, if it’s a drastic one, make sure you have thought about your options in case it doesn’t work out as you would like.

If you are thinking about making a change in your career and would like to talk it through, please do get in touch on 0113 243 9775 or email Catherine.wasilewski@sellickpartnership.co.uk

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